Grizzlies handle Phoenix Suns in complete-game effort

Suns forward Wesley Johnson blocks a shot by Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay, who had 20 points, during the first half of Memphis' win Sunday night in Phoenix.

Matt York/Associated Press

PHOENIX — The past month looked a little fuzzy for the Grizzlies, even when they won games.

So much that Rudy Gay can't remember the last time they matched sound defense with offensive efficiency to produce a fairly smooth day at the office. The Griz were hardly infallible Sunday night, but they earned a 92-81 victory over the Phoenix Suns with relative ease in US Airways Center.

"It feels good to get this one because we've got a tough one (Monday at Sacramento)," Griz forward Rudy Gay said. "I can't remember the last time we've won a game like this."

The Griz (21-10) never trailed and shot 54 percent while holding the woeful Suns (12-23) to 39 percent. Memphis, which has dealt with its fair share of struggles on offense, even left with a 19-1 advantage in fast-break points. The game might have been more lopsided if not for the Grizzlies' 20 turnovers.

However, the occasional sloppiness didn't prevent the Griz from leading by as many as 16 points. Memphis stiff-armed Phoenix in the fourth quarter by continuing to attack and score.

"It felt like a long time coming for us to play this way from start to finish," point guard Mike Conley said. "We need to carry this over."

It helped that the Griz had Zach Randolph back. Randolph missed the Grizzlies' loss against Portland last Friday night with the flu. The veteran power forward returned with a bounce in his step.

Randolph scored 12 of his game-high 21 points in the second half. He made all five shots after halftime.

"I like the fact that we came out in the second half and kept our level of play up," Randolph said. "We got stops. Everybody chipped in."

Gay added 20 points and center Marc Gasol chipped in a double-double with 10 points and 12 boards. This was just the second time that the Griz shot 50 percent or better in the past 14 games.

Memphis led 41-38 at halftime despite holding Phoenix to just 33-percent shooting. Randolph's layup with 4:40 left in the third quarter gave the Griz their first double-digit lead at 59-49.

"It was a solid win," Griz coach Lionel Hollins said. "We came out and we just played. We just had to stay focused to do it. It's a tough league and we're in a tough conference and every night you have to be focused, and play the same way."

Turning point

This game had weird stretches — none bigger than when Phoenix cut the Memphis lead to six just 30 seconds into the fourth quarter. The Griz then promptly turned the ball over five times, with Marreese Speights blowing an uncontested dunk during a span that lasted three minutes. The Suns were even worse because they didn't score the entire time. Gasol finally shifted the Grizzlies' offense out of neutral with a dunk, followed by a Mike Conley floater in the lane. Then the Griz suddenly pulled away behind a 10-3 run that put them ahead 81-68.

Spotlight

Gasol has been a bit shy about putting up shots lately, and he didn't have a shot in the third quarter. But the 7-footer filled up the stat sheet by adding five assists, three blocks and two steals to his double-double in points and rebounds. Gasol's defense in the paint also made it difficult for the Suns' big men, Marcin Gortat and Jermaine O'Neal, to get into an offensive flow.

The other guys

Phoenix has lost eight of its last nine games. The Suns have made the Grizzlies' offensive woes of late look like nothing.

No one is having more trouble scoring than Phoenix. Over their last seven quarters, the Suns are averaging 18.6 points per quarter on 37.5-percent shooting. Phoenix began the night with 16 points on 23-percent shooting in the opening period.

"They do a great job of playing on the ball and they play attack defense," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said of the Grizzlies. "You have to be strong with the ball and you have to set good screens. They just really got us out of anything we were trying to do."

The Suns had little chance of scoring many points with their main weapons misfiring. Luis Scola shot 3 of 12 for just seven points, while Jared Dudley missed two of his three shots. Dudley didn't play in the fourth quarter.

Who's hot

Darrell Arthur put another 3-pointer in the make column. Arthur is 3 of 8 from behind the arc this season after missing the first 13 3-pointer attempts of his career in regular-season play.

Who's not

Conley has made just 5 of 18 shots and zero 3-pointers in three tries since his 23-point outburst at Boston last Wednesday. Conley was 8 of 15, including 3 of 6 from long range, in that game.

That's what he said

"We pretty much knew we had to come and win. Our guys stuck together for 48 minutes on both ends. … We played hard for 48 minutes and when you do that, you get wins like this." — Grizzlies guard Tony Allen.

Health status

Randolph hardly looked rusty after missing his first game of the season. He turned in an efficient performance, shooting 9 of 11 from the field and working over multiple defenders with his jab step and feathery jump shot.

"I felt pretty good," Randolph said. "I had a lot of energy."

Roster moves

Reserve center Hamed Haddadi cracked the rotation as a benefactor of Arthur's having to play at small forward. Haddadi spelled Gasol for 10 minutes and could become more than a spot player while Quincy Pondexter recovers from a knee injury.

Playing Haddadi will be difficult if teams play small lineups, which has been the norm against the Griz.

"We'll see how it goes," Hollins said. "If we can match up and play that way then we will. We'll see."

Notice, too, that Hollins has been substituting Jerryd Bayless for Conley earlier in the first and third quarters. The decision allows Conley to get more rest and Bayless more playing time.

Miscellany

Griz second-year guard Josh Selby entered the game for the final 16 seconds, but he won't be with the team for its next two games. Selby left for Baltimore to attend a cousin's funeral.

By the numbers

4: Mike Conley's steals. This was the eighth time this season he's collected four or more in a game.